News in Brief

Rolls Royce Partnership

The University has announced a new partnership with Rolls Royce. The University Gas Turbine Partnership is a unique new relationship with the company. Rolls Royce is making a commitment to support research leaders through a rolling five-year agreement worth around £1.5 million annually. Professor Ann Dowling, of the Department of Engineering, will be Director of the UGTP. "This partnership builds on the trust and mutual understanding developed through decades of collaboration. At the heart of the partnership is a group of academics, world leaders in their own fields, who believe that research is the most exciting and challenging when it addresses issues of relevance to industry. Such projects attract excellent students, and it’s thrilling for students to see their research results influencing the next generation of aircraft engines."

She added: "What is special about this relationship with Rolls Royce is that they are making a commitment to support the research leaders - professors and lecturers - and these additional staff posts enable us to expand the scope of our activities."

To Our American Friends, Colleagues and Students

We want you to know that we share with you a sense of grief and horror at the attacks on the whole civilised world which were mounted in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

  Our thoughts are with you and we hope and pray that you and all those dear to you are safe and well.

Sir Alec Broers, Vice Chancellor

Transport from Sunshine

A project that will see a hydrogen-powered bus service running between the West Cambridge site and the city centre will go ahead if an application to the European Commission for a 2 million grant is successful.

A partnership between the University of Cambridge, the consulting engineers Whitby Bird and Partners and the Municipality of Gotland, is proposing to develop the world’s largest ‘Solar Hydrogen Energy’ demonstration project in Cambridge. At the heart of this project will be an innovative system of photovoltaic cells that will not only convert sunlight into electricity but then use that electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The photovoltaic cells will be installed above a covered colonnade at the West Cambridge site on Madingley Road. It is proposed to use the hydrogen produced to power the bus service, which will reduce noise and pollution on the city roads - the only emission from its fuel cell engine will be water vapour.

Boost for the Fitz

A grant of £5.6 million has been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the Fitzwilliam Museum’s Courtyard Development.

The development project is vital to the Museum, which receives over 250,000 visitors annually yet has no dedicated education space, no reception or orientation spaces for large groups nor even a public lift. The development will capture for the Museum an additional 3,000 square metres of quality space on four floors, providing a wide range of new and improved amenities.

The building project, due to start in January, will take approximately 18 months. During this period the Museum’s Founder’s Building will remain open.

The total project will cost £11.5 million. This latest grant is in addition to an HLF Development Grant of £302,000, awarded in March 2000, and matched by the Museum. Other funds have been raised by the Development committee during the year. The current shortfall is £1 million. With that target in mind, an anonymous donor has now offered a challenge grant to match pound for pound all donations from individuals up to a maximum of £500,000; £500,000 must therefore be raised by the end of this year.

Resource Discovery Network

A national web initiative offering free online training in Internet skills has been launched at http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk

The Resource Discovery Network (RDN) Virtual Training Suite is a collaboration between 30 universities providing 40 "teach yourself" tutorials on the Web from "Internet Physicist" to "Internet Philosopher".

Each tutorial takes the user on a tour of the best of the Web for their subject, with expert "tour guides" commissioned from universities, libraries, museums and research institutes across the UK.

The Modern Languages tutorial was written by Dr Gavin Burnage, Computer Assisted Language Learning Officer, in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages. Dr Burnage is an academic member of staff in the Faculty whose job is to set up an integrate the use of C&IT into the Faculty’s work.

University Map Takes New Direction

A new edition of the University map, published by Cambridge University Press, has just been launched and, for the first time, the map is also available online. Designed as the official guide to all the University departments and colleges, the map is now in its third edition and has seen many changes to the University landscape since it was first published in 1997. Dr Anne Dunbar-Nobes is the map’s editor and she has been working on the new edition since December last year. "It’s a bit like putting a jigsaw together, but one in which the myriad of pieces keep changing and the whole picture is in a state of flux. It’s a real challenge," she said. Jon Warbrick, Computer Officer in the University’s Computing Service, has been responsible for putting the map on the web. "The online version has a different audience, with different expectations," he said. "It will mean departments can index the map themselves - it will be a really useful resource for the whole University." The map can be accessed at: http://www.cam.ac.uk/map Paper copies cost £1 and can be obtained from the CUP bookshop.

New Look Web

The University web home page, online news service and central admin pages will have a fresh new look from 1 October.

  The redesign incorporates a revised home page, improved layout and navigation. Our home page, which receives in excess of one million hits per month, can be found at www.cam.ac.uk. If you have any comments then please contact Nicola Rogers, e-mail: nr211@cam.ac.uk

New Warden at Robinson

Anthony David Yates has taken over as the new Warden of Robinson College.

Solicitor of the Supreme Court, and a partner and Chief Operating Officer of Baker & McKenzie, he replaces Professor Lord Lewis of Newnham.

Professor Lord Lewis started as Warden in 1975, although the College did not take postgraduate students until 1977 and undergraduates until 1979. During his time as Warden, Lord Lewis has presided over many memorable events including the move into the new College building, the official opening of the College by the Queen in 1981 and the award of the Royal Charter in December 1984.
He said: "Robinson College is the newest College in Cambridge and has firmly established itself on the Cambridge scene in what is, by Cambridge standards, a relatively short period of time. I believe it to be one of the more friendly Colleges in Cambridge and the outstanding staff and students alike will make David Yates feel very welcome."

A Wheelie Good Idea

A new initiative to segregate cyclists and pedestrians has been introduced at the Downing site.

The scheme has been introduced to reduce the risk of cyclists and pedestrians colliding, by directing bicycles one way around the McDonald Institute, and those on foot in the other direction. The new arrangements mean cyclists are directed away from an area of pavement near the McDonald Institute which is prone to slime build-up, which could be hazardous for people travelling by bike.

Buildings Press Officer Nick Champion said: "The new arrangements are safer for everyone passing through the site."

BOGS Charity Cycle

The Board of Graduate Studies (BOGS) cycling team raised £1,205 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer in this year’s London to Cambridge Bike Ride. The team comprised Sarah Pickard,Jo Stevens and Nichola Tooke from BOGS, John Emmines and Terry Clark (borrowed from the Department of Chemical Engineering) and, Ian Hogg and David Price (borrowed from the Environment Agency). The team joined about 4000 other cyclists who pedalled the 54 mile route from Lee Valley in North London by way of Nazeing, Widford, Albury, Clavering and Hinxton and some very beautiful countryside to Midsummer Common, Cambridge. ‘Racing’ times ranged from just over four hours to just under five. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is a charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research and has established the UK’s first dedicated breast cancer research centre in partnership with the Institute of Cancer Research.

If you are interested in taking part in next year’s London to Cambridge ride or other UK charity rides contact Bike Events on: 01225 480131/www.bike-events.com. If you are interested in organising a team from your department or college, contact Nichola Tooke on 01223 766237/nt219@admin.cam.ac.uk.

e-University Takes Off

The Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University has formed an informal partnership with the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry under the name "Open Cambridge". The partnership aims to join the subject expertise of both institutions with the online learning reputation of the Open University.

A series of seminars was set up to investigate the principles of online learning, which were attended by a number of large organisations and, as a result of that initiative, a pilot course is now under development.

The course, called Learning in the Connected Economy, aims to equip its participants with the skills to develop an online learning strategy for their organisation.

Dr Jake Reynolds, Director of e-Learning at the Programme for Industry, said: "In the modern workplace, people need ways of dealing with high volumes of information, often under pressure. Our proposed course will explore how individual learning strategies are being shaped by the Internet, and how organisations are adapting to these new opportunities."

The proposed course has been selected by the e-University as one of four potential fast track projects. The first students are expected to be starting the course in Autumn 2002.

Information on the original seminars is available at: http://www.opencambridge.org.

Facelift for Buildings

A major project to repair and restore stonework is being carried out on buildings along Free School Lane and Pembroke Street.

The buildings all date from the 19th century and some are listed as Grade II; of special architectural and historic interest. The rolling programme to restore the stonework has been ongoing since 1993. This is the first time the buildings have been cleaned since they were built and, once restored, they will look as they did when they were completed during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Martin Dowling, Head of the Maintenance and Minor Works Group for the Estate Management, said: "So far we have spent £2.2 million on this particular stonework refurbishment project with an estimated £1.5 million to be spent on cleaning the complete façade along three streets. Not only does this work fulfil essential maintenance, it also enhances the built environment of the city of Cambridge."

Highgrove Reunion

The Prince of Wales’s Business & the Environment Programme, run by the University’s Programme for Industry, held its annual lecture, hosted by HRH Prince Charles at Highgrove. The Prince welcomed 120 members of the Business & the Environment Programme alumni network to Highgrove on 1 August. Guests were treated to a welcome reception by the Prince himself, and had the opportunity to dine with the Prince and explore the extensive Highgrove gardens during their visit. The Business & the Environment Programme provides a forum for senior executives to come together and discuss the major contemporary issues affecting sustainability in the business setting. The theme of the 2001 reunion was "Climate Futures and Business Opportunities: A Transatlantic Perspective".

Prince Charles is personally interested in sustainable development in business and viewed the reunion as an opportunity for the delegates to "keep in touch through the Programme network, even when they have returned to the pressures and distractions of their own workplaces".

External speakers at the event, included Sir Mark Moody Stuart, former Chairman of Shell, and Professor Tim O’Riordan, Professor of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia.

For more information, visit the website at: www.cpi.cam.ac.uk/bep

Visitor Guide

A new guide to the University is now available for visitors. Packed with useful information, the guide offers a brief history of the University, including details of some of its most famous achievements and alumni.

Two walking tours around the city and some of the colleges are also suggested, with facts about the University’s fascinating architecture and beautiful gardens. Copies cost £1 and are available from the Tourist Information Centre.

It’s Elementary!

BBC’s Dr Adam Hart-Davies along with Plumian Professor Jerry Ostriker will be joining an all star cast for Cambridge University’s National Science Week 15 - 23 March 2002.

Next year’s theme is The Elements and visitors will be invited to explore every element of life.

Throughout the week dozens of University Departments will be opening their doors to the public. The highlight lecture series Science at Seven will include an environmental debate with guest speakers from Greenpeace and BP joining University experts Dr Susan Owens and Professor John Pyle.

During the Science on Saturday programme on 16 March visitors are invited to get their hands on science with popular events such as student group Crash, Bang, Squelch or learn more about fire and ice in the children’s lecture series.

National Science Week Co-ordinator Sarah Shaw guarantees an element of surprise for visitors "There is a fun and fact filled programme planned for this coming year, We invite adults and children to join us".

The Science Week team thank all those who put so much time and work towards making this programme such a huge success but there is always a need for volunteers to help through the week. Anyone interested should contact Sarah Shaw on (7)66766.

Community Regeneration

The Judge Institute of Management has launched a new course for senior staff in community-based regeneration organisations.

Such organisations are playing an increasingly important role in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. They combine social aims - such as job creation and provision of local services - with a commercial ethos, operating as self-sufficient businesses.

The new MSt in Community Enterprise will cover the political and social context of community regeneration but its main focus will be on management skills. Community enterprise organisations often lack formal training in the skills needed to run high-risk enterprises. Until now there has been no course geared specifically to their needs.

Professor Sandra Dawson, Director of the Judge Institute, said: "This new initiative provides wonderful links between entrepreneurship and strategic leadership in the not-for-profit sectors - two areas in which we are already strongly involved."

Book Launch

This summer saw the release of a new book by Dr Philip Hazel, of the University’s Computing Service. The book, called "Exim: the Mail Transfer Agent", explores the development of Exim, which was developed by Dr Hazel and is used by system administrators across the world to manage electronic mail. Summer stocks of the book quickly sold out in the US and demand in the UK has also been high. Coinciding with the book launch was a repeat of the successful two-day workshop for Exim postmasters. Delegates received a complementary copy of the new book and enjoyed a series of presentations given by Dr Hazel at Robinson College.

Apple Celebration

A celebration of apples is to be held at the Botanic Garden on 28 October.

Visitors are invited to go along from 10am and discover the amazing diversity of apple shapes, sizes and tastes at the fifth annual Apple Day.

Juliet Day, Development Officer at the Garden, said: "This is a great opportunity not only to find out more about apples, but to stock up your larder with apple juices, ciders, vinegars and home-baked cakes, jams and jellies. We’ll even have some hot apple toddy!"

Experts will be on hand to identify apple varieties bought along by visitors and to give advice on all aspects of apple cultivation. There will also be a stunning display of more than 150 apples, including the gloriously named Cat’s Head, Braddick Nonpareil, and the Pitmaston Pine Apple.

Participating in Apple Day for the first time this year is Ben Haggarty, internationally recognised pioneer of the British storytelling revival. He will be offering an entertaining assortment of stories exploring apple-lore drawn from Celtic and Norse mythology, as well as British and European folk tales.

Business Innovation

A new initiative undertaken by the Department of Chemical Engineering aims to raise awareness among sixth-formers of career opportunities in the food process industry.

The Cambridge Sixth-Form Business Innovation Course was held for the first time in August. Thirty-two sixth formers from a broad range of state and independent schools gathered at the Department to learn about business innovation in the food industry.

The event was funded by North Bradon Farm Ltd, a privately owned manufacturer of traditional and innovative cheese products. The students were offered lectures on food product development, manufacturing, marketing and financial planning.

Bare Essentials

A pair of Cambridge scientists have launched a new radio series on the city’s STAR 107.9FM.

Called The Naked Scientists, the show was planned as a sequel to the successful ScienceWorld series which started in February 2000. Presented by Dr Chris Smith, in the Department of Pathology, and Dr Shibley Rahman, in the Department of Psychiatry, the show aims to bolster public confidence in scientists and their work and to raise public awareness of science. It was funded by a £7,000 grant from the BBSRC.

The shows begin with a news round-up of the weeks’ discoveries and innovations, and continues with live guest interviews, phone-ins, all interspersed with chart music.

Chris said: "The show aims to bring science directly to people in an informal and friendly manner. Listeners will be encouraged to ring or write in to have their science questions answered. The show has been a tremendous success so far and we’re really looking forward to the next series."

Listeners can tune in to the show on Sunday evenings from 8pm-9pm.

800 Celebrations

University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Alec Broers,and the Mayor of Cambridge City, Councillor Chris Lakin, planted a treein the Botanic Garden to mark the city’s 800th anniversary celebrations. The ceremony marked the important role that the University has had in helping to shape Cambridge throughout its 800 year history. In a special ceremony attended by Cambridge City Councillors and Officers as well as University representatives, the Vice-Chancellor and the Mayor planted the big cone pine, Pinus coulteri, along the Garden’s Main Walk.

The pine was chosen because it is quite rare and spectacular, eventually reaching a height of 30 metres.

Also during the ceremony, the Mayor was presented with a copy of the new biography of John Stevens Henslow
from Cambridge University Press, written by Max Walters and Anne Stow. Henslow was Charles Darwin’s mentor and Professor of Botany at the University. He also orchestrated the Botanic Garden’s move to its present 40-acre site.

Long Service Award

Adrian Simpson , chief assistant in the Department of Genetics, notched up 40 years of service to the Department and the University in August.

He joined the University as a student technician in August 1961, aged 16, and was appointed to a permanent post in 1964. During his 40-year service, Adrian has seen the Department move from its original site on Milton Road to the Downing Site and undergo considerable expansion, particularly in the last 20 years, as Genetics has become a more high profile subject.

As lab manager, Adrian has been responsible for many changes in the Department. Professor Michael Ashburner and Dr Don MacDonald paid tribute to the enormous contribution made by Adrian to the development and operation of the Department at a lunchtime party. As a token of gratitude, he was presented with a camera and a book of photographs recalling his time in the lab.

ILT Accreditor

Richard Wakeford , Staff Development Officer, has just been appointed an Accreditor for the Institute of Learning and Teaching, the professional body for all who teach and support learning in higher education in the UK. Accreditors are responsible for evaluating individuals’ applications to join the ILT, and Richard is the first person from Cambridge to be appointed to this post.

Happy Birthday Bridget’s

Cambridge’s hostel for disabled students is celebrating its 10th anniversary later this month.

Bridget’s Hostel offers accommodation for undergraduates and postgraduates with a range of physical disabilities from various Cambridge Colleges, and also from Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge Regional College and Long Road Sixth Form College. A pilot support scheme for those who want to live in College accommodation but need support has also just started this term.

The hostel was founded by Professor Margaret Spufford to honour the memory of her disabled daughter, Bridget, who was unable to find suitable accommodation to take up a degree place anywhere in the UK.

Now, in 2001, Bridget’s Trust , which runs the hostel, continues to fund raise to support the work of the hostel in Cambridge.

Sara Garnham, Chief Executive of the Trust, said: "None of this would have been possible without the help of our supporters within Cambridge University and across the world."

The trust is holding its 10th anniversary celebrations on 20 October. For more information about the work of the Trust, contact Sara Garnham, tel: 01223 367706; e-mail: seg31@cam.ac.uk

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